Concerning Justification, part 39
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 3:21–28
The key phraseology is “through faith” or “by faith.” Paul mentions it 31 times, James and Peter once each, and the writer of Hebrews 24 times.
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Teaching Posted in June 2022
Concerning Justification, part 38
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 Corinthians 1:30–31
I have nothing to do with my justification. It too is a gift given to me by God. I am saved by God's grace alone, as experience and Scripture testify.
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Concerning Justification, part 37
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Revelation 3:20
To receive forgiveness, only have faith in what Jesus has done for you. There is no need to do anything else about what has already been done.
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Concerning Justification, part 36
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Acts 10:36–43
Not only Lutherans, but the apostles and the prophets also, insist upon justification by faith — faith in the merits of Jesus. They add nothing else.
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Concerning Justification, part 35 - copy
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 5:1–2Hebrews 4:14–16
Jesus is our great High Priest, mediating for us before God, a thing that we cannot do ourselves with any amount of religion, devotion, or good works.
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Concerning Justification, part 34
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 5:1–2
Our interest should be in being with God who is our peace and heaven, things which religious devotion and good works can never gain.
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Concerning Justification, part 33
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17–21
Though sin terrifies consciences through the law that reveals the wrath of God, we gain the victory through Christ by faith in his mercy.
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Concerning Justification, part 32
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Psalm 32:1–5
We should do all we can to please the Lord but rely upon Christ alone — not what we do but what he did) for the covering of our sins, and for salvation.
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Concerning Justification, part 31
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 4:1–5
Lutherans confess that we are saved by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, not by works of the law or religion or personal piety.
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Concerning Justification, part 30
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 Peter 1:3–5
Faith is not the beginning of salvation, to which more work must be added to the work of Christ. He has done it all. He alone justifies you with God.
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Concerning Justification, part 29
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 Timothy 2:3–6
When it comes to religion, we want to trust in the things we do, as though our deeds were some form of spiritual currency that can buy salvation.
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Concerning Justification, part 28
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 10:13–17
Saving faith that reconciles God, comes by what is heard through the Word. One does not earn justifying faith; one receives it by the word of Christ.
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Concerning Justification, part 27
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Luke 24:45–49
Faith is an active trust in God. It is not doing or reciting religious things by those who believe in the history of Christianity but do not believe in Christ.
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Concerning Justification, part 26
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Psalm 50:8–15
God is pleased when we keep our obligations and do good works, yet, we must not imagine these things appease God's righteous wrath toward sin.
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Concerning Justification, part 24
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 6:21–24
All we can do — by the power and work of God's Spirit — is thankfully receive what has been freely promised through God's great mercy.
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Concerning Justification, part 23
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 4:15–16
If a promise is made, faith — not work — is required. This is true in human relations and is no less true in our relationship with the divine.
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Concerning Justification, part 22
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 12:1–2
We should offer our whole selves to God, though to imagine that this appeases God's wrath or earns justification and salvation is self-deception.
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Concerning Justification, part 21
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 5:1–2
Faith is a matter of the heart over the head. Faith trusts that God loves me even when I think that he cannot, so my heart is comforted and peaceful.
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Concerning Justification, part 20
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Philippians 3:8–9
So called personal faith does not rely upon personal works but on the person of Christ, as it is through him that God is reconciled toward us.
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Concerning Justification, part 19
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 2 Corinthians 3:4–5
How misleading — and even rude — it would be to invite people to a party and then demand that they serve the guests in order to stay.
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Concerning Justification, part 18
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Romans 4:7–14
As circumcision was a seal of Abraham's faith in God's promise, works are do not earn God's grace but are a sign that one believes God's promise.
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Concerning Justification, part 17
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Genesis 3:8–10
We know the law is right, that in ourselves, we have no leg to stand on. The law has us dead to rights. So, how can it make us right with God?
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Concerning Justification, part 16
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 16:6–7
Since God looks at the heart, we ought to concern ourselves primarily with loving him with our whole self. Then the other commandments may be kept.
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Concerning Justification, part 15
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Isaiah 64:4–6
If it is Jesus who makes us free, how dare we try to make ourselves free through works of the law, as though we must add works to remain free?
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Concerning Justification, part 14
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Galatians 2:15–21
We confess that Christians should do good works. Yet, we also confess that these works do not earn God's grace or save them from sin and death.
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Concerning Justification, part 13
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 Timothy 1:12–15
A person greatly dishonors the Lord when he thinks that he makes himself sinless and holy, when “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
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Concerning Justification, part 12
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Jeremiah 17:5–7
No one is ever able to love God by virtue of his own strength or abilities. Nor is one able to fulfill the rest of God's law by human strength or reason.
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Concerning Justification, part 11
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Psalm 51:1–10
We will never stand before God, or be righteous, unless he does it for us. Only God can create clean hearts and make us pure, holy, and righteous.
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Concerning Justification, part 10
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 John 1:8–9
There is another kind of righteousness that is heavenly, free, and full of grace, not from keeping the commandments but from the very hand of God.
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